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Automated kegging solution for cider maker

18 October 2010

UK-based systems integration company, Moody Automation, has installed and commissioned a new state-of-the-art kegging line at the production facility of Thatchers Cider’s Myrtle Farm.

As part of an expansion programme incorporating a £1.4million investment in new packaging facilities. Moody Automation has installed a system to automate the kegging process, running 450 kegs per hour - a 900% increase in capacity.

The new plant has given Thatchers a one-stop kegging solution, with integral washing facilities, capping and labelling, as well as camera inspection at two key points of the line, to eliminate any packing discrepancies and maximise efficiency.

The installation was a key driver to growth for the Somerset cider producer, as Neil Day, operations director at Thatchers, explains: “As a result of the increasing appreciation and demand for Thatchers draught cider, we have doubled the size of our orchards this year. However, to meet the needs of our trade customers and ensure that the cider reaches pubs as quickly as possible and in first class condition, we had to increase our supply capability when it came to kegging. The new line allows us to fulfil all customer requirements, at the same time as improving quality.”